5 Best Anti-Spam & Anti-Malware Software

Protection is a rule of gold, I have always heard. Right after we format a standard computer, the first thing after installing the drivers is the anti-malware and spam protection solutions, to ensure that the equipment is kept out of the harms way, right from the start. This is what probably most people should do, to avoid infections and the flood of emails, but before relying on protection software, you must first know the best alternatives.

So, today we will present the best anti-spam and malware software that you can install on a regular PC, be it powered by the good old Windows or, by the fancy Mac OS X. The programs listed below are believed to bring the best level of security for an affordable price (most of them are completely free, the only cost is for the pro version) so after taking a quick look on the list below, you will surely find the ones best-suited.

The best Anti-Malware and Anti-Spam programs

The complete configuration of any of the programs listed below depends from case to case. For example, there are some who offer complete anti-virus protection, including solutions against malware, rogues, and other vicious threats, while others simply know how to keep spam away from the inbox. Please do not mistake this list as one with anti-virus programs, because our aim is solely on malwares and spam – is not our fault that some of the names come with more.

MalwareBytes’ Anti-Malware

MalwareBytes’ Anti-Malware is what most PC enthusiasts may call, good old software. You know, one of those programs which you are obliged by your moral tastes to install it, even if it has pasted more than four years since it was first seen on the market. Comparing the current version with the one issued first, the software has not seen major altercations in its algorithm.

For many users out there, MalwareBytes’ has always been the primary weapon against infections, because it is simply to install, childish to use and comes free of charge. Moreover, the level of protection offered surpasses many competitors and running the software into Safe-Mode is said to cure the PC out of any malware troubles. For a one-time fee of almost $25, the PRO version will be delivered, which enhances the package with a bit more features:

It consumes few resources, causes no conflicts amongst other solutions and it will not slow down the pc. It comes with real-time protection, start-up rapid scans and the possibility of scheduling events.

The software interface is very straightforward, coming with a big Scan button and a range of radio buttons for choosing options. Scans usually complete within minutes and afterwards, a result page will appear, from which the user can choose which threats should be taken care of, and which should be ignored. The program also comes with a repair section which can undo damages done by malwares. The bargaining price is free, like in most tools out there, and for about $25 an upgrade package will be added.

Agnitum Spam Terrier

The Spam Terrier from Agnitum is the loyal household dog which destroys any unwanted file delivered by the mailman, without even disturbing its owner. In tech terms, Agnitum’s product protects the inbox from any junks emails you don’t need or want. It is easy to use and can be integrated with most email clients. The software functions by detecting and automatically quarantining spam emails, relieving the user from deleting thousands of messages.

Coming free of charge, Spam Terrier uses minimal computer resources and the reason why we liked it so much is that it learns with the time, just like the Priority Box developed by Google. It has an easy-to-use interface, whitelist and blacklist folders which can be programmed with user-specified criteria and even more:

Time-based database separation – learns the rules on a time-basis, with latter criteria being offered a greater percentage

Faster and more granular processing – faster, uses less memory to process tasks

Adjustable sensitivity – manually adjust the aggressively of the program

No lost messages – spam detections are placed within a special folder, not deleted

Message status – let’s the user verify the quality of the email

On-demand scan – manually started scan for spam

Language support – available in English, German, Spanish, French and Russian

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the Spam Terrier comes free of charge, and it supports POP3, IMAP and HTTP protocols.

Spamihilator

Spamihilator is a good old anti-spam solution which sits between the email client and the server itself (usually based on POP3) and analyses the information received. If a mail is considered useless, it will be either moved directly into the trash can or, in the training folder – where the user teaches the program which emails are safe to be deleted, and which not. In the first days of use, Spamihilator will require some training but after learning the ropes, it is assured to get your inbox rid of all problems.

The program itself comes with a very good algorithm which identifies unwanted emails and which learns from the training area, but there are also some plug-ins which can be installed. Besides the usual whitelist/blacklist feature, these plug-ins help the user against a specific type of threat, acting like a typical filter:

Address – arranges mails sent to many contacts, usually unrelated to the user

AlphabetSoup – filters emails with useless chains of characters

No Comment! – block mails with HTML comments

RFC-Validator – sorts mails which are not RFC compliant, or otherwise considered malicious

Scripts – filters mails with embedded scripts

Empty Mail

MailWasher Pro

MailWasher Pro is one of the most used anti-spam tools out there (more than 8 million worldwide) and besides offering a protective filter between the outside world and the computer, it also has some solutions for when the spam actually gets pass barriers – just to be safe. It comes with a simple to use interface, a casual installation procedure, a mode for previewing emails before actually opening them and a separate folder for moving spam messages (no deletion).

The software is available in 18 different languages and besides offering all of the above, it is assumed to be offering one of the best spam protections found online. Suspicious emails are cut right from the source, long before they reach the inbox, and for the first setup, MailWasher can scan all the mails found within the inbox and tag those found guilty.

Another strong point of MailWasher, besides the usual blacklist and continous learning tricks, is the beautiful and simple user interface. We got accommodated within seconds and we loved the wonderful looking (and helpful too) features, such as the evaluation score, which supplies an “Is it spam” score to any email, based on formerly-chosen criteria.

Alex Serban Feature Writer Alex holds an engineering degree in Telecommunications and has been covering technology as a writer since 2009. Customization is his middle name and he doesn’t like to own stock model gadgets. When he’s away from the keyboard, simpler things like hiking, mountain climbing and having a cold drink make his day.